Cork-extractor.



PATENTBD MAY 24, 1904.

M. n. POLLOGK. CORK BXTRA GTOR. APPLICATION FILED PEB- 9, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

m: Ncmus PETERS co. mow umo ASHINGTDN u c UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

MILTON DEWITT POLLOCK, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

coRK-ExTRAoToR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,918, dated May 24, 1904. Application filed February 9, 1903. Serial No. 142.659. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON DEWITT POL- LOOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Cork-Extractor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in cork-extractors, and has for its principal object to provide an extracting-tool of simple and economical construction which may be readily introduced into a bottle without injury to the cork and by means of which acork may be readily pulled from the neck of a bottle of any shape or size.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extractor in which the shank portion of the tool, or that end which enters the bottle, is of such shape as to allow it to follow the lines of the inner wall of the neck and which may be turned when fully introduced to force the edge of the cork slightly away from the neck of the bottle and permit the introduction of air, and thus facilitate the extraction of the cork by equalizing the air-pressure on the sides thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved extracting-tool in which the tractile force exerted during the extraction of the cork is in such direction as to permit the ready withdrawal of said cork with-' out injury.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cork extractor constructed in accordance with the invention, illustrating the same as being introduced into the neck of a bottle. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, illustrating the extractor within a bottle and in position to be turned to engage the cork. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the extractor, showing the position assumed when the extractor is turned into engagement with the lower portion of the cork. Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations looking from opposite sides of the shank of the extractor. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the same, on an enlarged scale, on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The tool is formed of a single piece of heavy wire so bent as to form a handle 1, which may be firmly gripped by anoperator, the elongated loop of the handle being of suflicient size to permit the introduction of two or three fingers, while at the front of the loop is formed a slight depression 3 for the reception of the thumb, so that the tool may be firmly held and readily controlled by the operator. The lower forward end of the loop is slightly fiattoned and bent to form an eye or loop 4, which embraces an inwardly-bent portion 5 at the top of the extracting-shank 6. The shank 6, which is to be introduced into the bottle, is formed by slightly reducing the end of the wire and changing its cross-sectional contour to some extent, so that it shall present one partly-flattened side 7 and the opposite rounded side 8. The shank is curved so that the flattened side presents a concaved appearance from end to end of the shank, the lower end thereof being disposed to one side of the general plane of the loop portion of the tool. The shank is also curved in hook-like form and at the lower end terminates in a comparatively sharp tapering hill 9, the point being sharp enough to engage or partly enter the cork without injury to the same.

In introducing the extractor thebill of the hook is first entered in the manner shown in Fig. 1, the loop of the handle being lowered until it assumes an angle of about forty-five degrees to the longitudinal axis of the bottle and is then slowly forced between the neck of the bottle and the cork with the flattened curved face of the shank in constant contact with the glass. If the inner wall of the neck be curved, as is often the case, or in a shortnecked bottle if the bulge or outward curve of the bottle starts at a short distance below the top of the neck, the curvature of the shank permits the hook to be introduced below the bottom of the cork without injury to the latter, while if a straight shank were employed the lower portion of the cork would be broken or lacerated. After the extractor is introduced to the position shown in Fig. 2 it is then turned at a right angle until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 3, the outer curved line of the hook pressing against the neck of the bottle, while the bill is turned under the lower edge of the cork, and in this position the cork is crowded slightly toward the opposite side of the bottle, forming a passage which will allow the air to flow into the bottle, and thus facilitate the withdrawal of the cork by the equalization of air-pressure on both sides. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the force exerted in withdrawing the cork should be substantially on the dotted line a", so that the point of the extractor will be kept in constant engagement with the cork and by firmly gripping the same avoid all danger of tearing or otherwise damaging the cork.

In devices of this class as generally constructed the extracting-shanks are formed perfectly straight and must be introduced and withdrawn by a direct movement in the length of the shank. When an attempt is made to extract a cork from a short-necked bottle or a bottle where the lower edge of the cork is of greater diameter than the smallest diameter of the neck of the bottle, the introduction of a straight shank must necessarily injure the cork, and in extracting the only purchase on the cork is that afforded by the small bill or other cork-engaging device at the bottom of the shank, and when a straight pull is exerted the bill is'often drawn up alongside the cork, breaking and tearing the same and rendering the extraction more difficult. In the present case these objections are overcome by so constructing the shank as to permit of its ready introduction into the bottle by conforming to the curvature of the neck, and if the neck is perfectly straight for the whole length of the cork the point of the hook will be pressed closely against the neck of the bottle, and thus avoid damage to the cork, while the turning movement by crowding the cork to one side of the neck forms an air-passage, and thus lessens the amount of force necessary to accomplish the extracting operation.

While it is preferred to employ a handle or grip constructed in the manner illustrated and formed integral with the shank, it will be understood that in some cases the extractingshank may be provided with other forms of handles, such as those commonly employed on tools of the class, or it may form a member of a pocket-knife, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is' 1. A cork-extractor comprising a handle and a shank member having a lower cork-engaging bill, the shank member being curved from end to end in the plane of the bill to compress the cork at the point where it-is engaged by the bill and being also curved in the direction of its length in a plane at a right angle to the plane of the bill.

2. A cork-extractor comprising'a handle and a shank member terminating in a lower tapering cork-engaging bill, the shank being curvedin a plane at a right angle to the plane of the bill and presenting a transversely-flattened face for contact with the neck of the bottle, said shankbeing further curved in the plane of the bill to permit the forcing of the cork away from the neck of the bottle when the shank is turned to cork-engaging position;

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MILTON DEWITT POLLOOK Witnesses:

J. F. FRIBLEY, O. O. MILLER. 

